And ben



2 Sheets Sheet 1.,

(No Model.)

H. 8v B. OAK'ES. CAR GUUPLING.

f/l. I* v human (No Moden.) 2 sheetssneen 2. H. 8v B. OAKBS.

CAR GOUPLING.

NO- 484,900. Patnted 0G13. 25, 1892.

i Fyf i `\.z2 351 lllillmlllllll WM a UNITED STATES PATENT GEEICE.

HENRY OAKEs, OE sILvER CITY, TERRITORY OE NEW MEXICO, AND REN OAKEs, OECHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CAR-G'OUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters 'Patent No. 484,900, dated October25, 1892.

Application filed October 27, 1891. Serial No. 409,993- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY OAKES, residing at Silver City,in the countyof Grant and Territory of New Mexico, and BEN OAKES, residing atChicago, in the county Cook and State of Illinois, citizens of theUnited States, have invented a new .and useful Car-Coupling, of whichthe following vis-a specification.

This invention relates to car-couplings, and more especially to theclasses thereof known as twin-jaw and rotary-head, and the object of thesame is to effect certain ilnprovements in devices of this character.

To this end the invention consists in a carcoupling embodying aconstruction substantially as hereinafter more fully described andclaimed, and as illustrated on the two sheets of drawings, wherein-Figure 1 is a perspective view of the end of a car with our improvedcoupling attached, showing the jaw in its normal position and viewingthe whole slightly from the under side. Fig. 2 is a plan view of thedraw-bar, draw-head, and jaw. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of thedraw-head with the jaw removed. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of Fig. 2,showing the dog in dotted lines as engaging the jaw to hold the latterin uncoupled position, and omitting the ear. Fig. 5 is a bottom planview of two draw-heads in the act of coupling. Fig. 6 is a centralhorizontal section through two draw-heads coupled.

Referringto the said drawings, 1 is the car body, beneath which is theblock 2. 3 is the draw-bar passing through this block and having an openmouth 4 with a rounded front end 5 and a vertical pinopening 6. 7 is avertical bolt passing through this draw-bar in rear of its mouth 4, and8 is a plate on top of the draw-bar under the nut of this bolt, saidplate moving in a slot 9 in the block 2, whereby the draw-bar has aslight vertical movement in addition to the longitudinal motion which ispermitted by its buffer-springs, (not shown,) as well understood. Theopening of the block 2 is extended laterally at its upper end to receivelateral projections of the plate, which projections extend beyond thesides of the draw-bar.

The draw-head has on its exterior an annular groove 10, around whichturns the ring- 4 rshaped body 11 of the jaw. Such jaw is double-that isto say, arms 12 project forward and outward from diametrically oppositesides of the ring, and carry at their front ends the jaws proper 13,which are oppositelybeveled on their front faces, as shown at 14. Whenthe jaws of two couplings of this character come together, the fourfaces 14 strike and slide over each other and the rings 11 (one or both)turn in the grooves 10, so as to permit the jaws to rotate relatively toa suicient degree to permit their beveled faces to v pass each other, asseen in Fig. 5. The lower jaw 13 of each coupling is weighted, as at 15,so that after the jaws pass each other the weights turn them to theirnormally-vertical position, and the rear faces 16 of the heads are incontact. Said faces are slightly dished, as at 17, Fig. 2, whichprevents the jaws disengaging easily when under tension, and at thistime the rounded ends 5'of the drawheads permit the two couplings tohave a lslight lateral swinging movement, as will be obvious from aninspection of Fig. 6. This ligure also shows how an ordinary link can becoupled into the mouth 4of the draw-head .when this coupling isconnected with one of the conventional pin-anddink type.

For the purpose of uncoupling the cars, We

.provide the following devices: 2O is a bracket depending from thecar-body and having a slot 21, and 22 is a rod passing through thisslot, having a handle 23 at its outer end and having a block withnotched ends 24 (or a pair of stops) on its under side. The inner end ofthis rod passes through a slot 25 in an ear 26, which is bolted orriveted to the lower jaw 14, the end of the rod having a T-head orcross-bar 27 for preventing its pulling through said slot., and at theother side of the ear an expansive spring 2S is coiled on the rodbetween a stop 29 thereon and the back of the ear. Thus when it isdesired to uncouple the cars the handle 23 is grasped, the rod 22 israised so as to disengage the outer end of the block 24 from the slot21, and the handle is drawn out, whereby the head 27 of the rod willdraw on the ear and turn the ring 11 around the draw-head. If it isdesired to keep the coupling in uncoupled position, the rod is thenlowered, so that the inner end of IOO without necessarily moving therod, as will be clear.

30 is a plate of inverted-U shape, which is secured to the lower side ofthe draw-bar 3 by the head of the bolt 7 and stands behind 1o the lowerarm 12 of the jaw, and this plate has at one side a tongue 31, whichprojects forward and serves as a stop to prevent the weight from turningthe jaw beyond its proper vertical position.

15 32 is a rod passing through an eye in the bracket and having a handle33 at its outer end, the inner end of this rod being journaled throughthe downturned portions of said plate and prevented from displacezo mentby any means, as a split pin 37. On the rod within the plate is keyed orotherwise secured a dog 39, whose tip is adapted to be turned forwardand upward into a notch in the lower arm 12. With this construction z5the rod may be turned so as to cause the tip of thedog to stand in thenotch 35 when the jaw. 1s 1n vertical position, thus locking it againstan automatic uncoupling, and the friction of the rod in the eye of thebracket 3o 20 will prevent the dog falling; or, after the jaw has beenswung to uncouple, the dog may be turned forward behind a lug 35 on thebody 11 to hold it in this position, as seen in dotted lines in Fig. 4.These devices are 3 5 preferably auxiliary to those above described foroperating the device. Still either set of devices could be used for thispurpose.

A car-coupling of this character possesses great strength anddurability, is automatic in 4o its action, is positive when locked, andis yet easy to uncouple or to lock in uncoupled position. If the cars donot stand exactly in the same horizontal plane, the couplings will worknearly if not quite as well, and should one draw-bar become detachedfrom its support it cannot fall to the ground, and thus perhaps derail acar, because the upper jaw would strike on the front end of the drawheadbefore the two jaws above said head be- 5o came disconnected. When twocars come together and the jaws are deflected from a veri-- ---fticalline, the faces of the draw-heads strike 6o the spirit of our invention.

each other and act as buEers, thereby taking all the strain off the jawsat this time and allowing the weights 15 to cause the jaws to turn to avertical position and interlock.

We do not confine ourselves to the exact details of constructiomasconsiderable change may be made therein without departing from Neitherdo we limit ourselves to the use in a single device of all the elementsand features above described, as some of them might be used alone or inother connections to great advantage.

The sizes, shapes, and materials of parts are matters of no moment withrespect to the 484, ooo

novelty of the invention, and are hence not elaborated herein.

What is claimed as new is 1. In a car-coupling, the combination,with adraw-bar having at its front end a drawhead whose front face is slightlycurved transversely, said draw-head being provided with a monthintersected by a pin-opening and exteriorly with a groove, of a ringturning in said groove, arms projecting forward and outward from saidring, and jaws at the outer ends of said arms, having oppositely-beveledfaces.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the car-body, a block on theend thereof, having a slot extended laterally at the upper end, and adraw-bar extending through said slot and having a draw-head, of avertical bolt through said bar and a plate secured upon the bar bythe-bolt and projecting laterally from the draw-bar and moving in theextensions of the slot.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination, with a draw-bar having adraw-head and a plate secured beneath said bar and having aforwardlyprojecting tongue, of a rotary jaw mounted on said head andresting normally against said tongue.

4f. In a car-coupling, the combination,with a draw-bar and a platesecured beneath the same and having a forwardlyprojecting tongue, of arotary jaw connected with said bar and resting normally against saidtongue, this jaw having a beveled face at its front end, and means fordrawing the jaw away from said tongue.

5. In a car-coupling, the combinatiomwith a draw-bar, a plate ofinverted-U shape secured beneath the same and having aforwardly-projecting tongue at one side, a rod journaled horizontallythrough said plate and having a handle, and a dog fast on the rodbetween the sides of the plate, of a rotary jaw connected with said barand resting normally against the tongue, said jaw having a notch innormal alignment with the dog, and means for drawing the jaw away fromsaid tongue.

6. In a car-coupling, the combination, with a drawbar, a vertical boltpassing therethrough, a bearing held by said bolt beneath the bar, arodjournaled in' said bearing and having a handle, and a dog fast on saidrod,

IOO

IIO

of a rotary jaw connected with said bar forward of the bearing andhaving a notch in normal alignment with the dog andv means for turningthe jaw.

'7. In a car-coupling, the combination, with a draw-bar and a stopbeneath the same, of a rotary jaw mounted on said bar and having abeveled face, a weight bearing the jaw normally against said stop, andmeans forturning the jaw in the opposite direction.

8. In a car-coupling, the combination, with a draw-bar havinga stop, arotary jaw on said bar having a beveled front face, and aweight holdingthe jaw normally against said stop, of

a slotted ear depending from the jaw and a rod passing through the slot,having a head beyond the same extending to the side of the car andhaving a handle.

9. In a car-coupling, the combination, with a draw-bar having a stop, arotary jaw on said bar, and means for holding it normally against thestop, of a bracket on the car-body, having a slot, arod connected withthe jaw and passing through the slot, and a block depending from therod, as and for the purpose set forth.

l0. In a car-couplin g, the combination, with a draw-bar having a stop,a rotary jaw on said bar, and means for holding it normally against thestop, of a slotted car depending from the jaw, a rod passing throughsaid slot, having a head beyond the same and extending to the side ofthe car, a stop on said rod at the back of the ear, and an expansivespring between the ear and stop.

1l. In a car-coupling, the combination, with a draw-bar having a stop, arotaryjaw on said bar, and means for holding it normally against thestop, of a slotted ear depending from the jaw, a rod passing throughsaid slot, having a head beyond the ear and extending to the side of thecar, a stop on the rod at the back of the ear, an expansive springbetween the ear and stop, and means for locking said rod at the side ofthe car in one of two positions. l2. In a car-coupling, the combination,with a draw-bar having a stop, arotary jaw on said bar, and a weightholding it normally against the stop, of a perforated ear depending fromthe jaw, a rod passing through the ear, having a head beyond it andextending to the side of the car, a stop on the rod at the back of theear, an expansive spring between the stop and ear, a slotted bracketsupported by the car and through whose slot the rod passes, anda blockon the rod of a size to pass through the slot, as and for the purposeset forth.

13. In aca'r-eoupling, the combination, with a draw-bar having a stop, arotary jaw on said bar, and a weight holding it normally against thestop, of a slotted bracket on the car-body, a rod passing through theslot therein, a block depending from the rod and of a size to passthrough said slot, and a yielding connection, substantially asdescribed, between the rod and the jaw permitting the latter to movefrom said stop, but limiting its movement 1n the other direction.

14:. In a car-coupling, the combination, with a draw-bar having a stop,a rotary jaw mounted thereon and having a notch, and aweight holding thejaw normally against the stop, of a bearing beneath the bar, anoscillating rod journaled therein, a dog fast on the rod. and

adapted to engage said notch, a second rod connected with said jaw, andabracket on the car-body through which said rods extend.

15. In a car-coupling, the combination, with a draw-bar having abearing, a rotary `iaw mounted on the bar and having a notch, anoscillating rod turning in said bearing, anda dog fast thereon andadapted to engage s'aid notch, of asecond rod connected with said Jawand a bracket on the car-body through which both rods extend.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have heretoaffixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY OAKES. BEN OAKES. Witnesses:

E. CosGRovE, H. G. HAYES..

